Italy crushed Bahrain in the first game of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, winning 114:53, while Lithuania defeated Mexico 96:84.
Lithuania had some difficulty getting started in their match against Mexico, but they dominated in the second half. The third quarter was decisive, with Kazys Maksvytis’ team scoring 34 points. The Lithuanians shot well for two points, hitting 70 percent.
Marius Grigonis stood out for Lithuania with 21 points, while Tadas Sedekerskis and Domantas Sabonis added 12 each. On the other side, Joshua Ibarra scored 19 points. Both teams are set to face Ivory Coast in the group stage. Lithuania will play against the African side tonight starting from 23:30.
Only one team will advance to the Olympic Games in Paris, which is the winner of the tournament. With these wins, the two major European teams have secured at least a semifinal spot. If both teams are first after the group stages, they can only meet in the final of the tournament.